Mercy for the Dead

The works of mercy are the formula for pursuing a life of holiness and unity with God. They are the everyday practices we engage in to seek righteousness and Grace. Throughout the next several weeks, we will explore these works of mercy, their meaning, and how to incorporate them into daily life. The works of mercy are intimately tied to the Sacred Heart of Jesus as they are how His mercy enters the world today and through us. Works of mercy are broken into two smaller categories: the corporal works of mercy, dealing with bodily service, and the spiritual works of mercy, dealing with things of the spiritual life.

Burying the dead is a corporal work of mercy, which has its counterpart in praying for the dead as a spiritual work of mercy. To bury the dead is to maintain the departed’s human dignity, inherent in their creation by God, and their adopted sonship in Jesus the Lord. Often, we want to avoid funerals or language concerning death; however, death is not to be avoided or feared. Instead, we should have the courage and confidence of our Faith, which assures us that Christ has conquered death once and for all. In the spirit of this confidence of Faith, we ought to march with purpose and conviction to the altar of God as our brothers and sisters in the Lord approach that altar for the final time in their Funeral Mass. We are not all called by the Lord to be funeral directors or undertakers to fulfill this work of mercy; we simply attend the Funeral Mass and graveside. Attendance at funerals should not be limited to people I know or families of people I know. Attending funeral masses whenever possible is an incredible and vital ministry we can take on. I will be attentive in ensuring that a notice is sent out to our parish when funerals are scheduled to allow everyone to attend. Beyond the funeral liturgies, we should also regularly pray for the dead. When spending time in prayer, especially at Mass, pray for your family and loved ones who have died, offer them to God, lift them to Him in union with the Sacrifice of the Eucharist, light candles for them, pray the rosary, chaplet of Divine Mercy, and novenas for the repose of their souls, do not forget the dead. I hope to see many of you at upcoming Funeral Masses.